Edit to add disclaimer, though not sure it's necessary here. Just in case: I was previously given permission by Skinner to post periodically about http://www.wishadoo.org, especially when it involves DUers, with this required disclaimer: "The administrators of Democratic Underground have given permission for one discussion thread on this topic. The administrators of Democratic Underground make no claims regarding the legitimacy or illegitimacy of this fundraising effort. Permission was granted by Skinner on 8/6/2010, and the moderators have been notified."

TUESDAY MORNING UPDATE: Even though the segment aired on Dr. Drew last night, most of the action items noted below are still valid and in need of our attention, and this thread needs recs to get on the Greatest Page today, please. Thanks!

7. Thank you OGR!

You're making a huge difference here. I could only get so far -- you've brought awareness to Cindi and Kirk's plight WAY beyond what I could ever hope to do. It really helps having someone who knows what she's doing in our corner.

12. Dude....

You did -- you are doing -- an AMAZING job for your friends!!! Your OP got a gazillion recs, after tremendous perseverance on your part, which is not easy for a non-political post in GD during election season.

19. CH 204 on Direct TV

15. Information on fighting foreclosure. This is an all too common story and we must unify against it!

I am not a lawyer; a good lawyer educated on these issues is very important. Always immediately demand an audit. Foreclosure paperwork is quite often fraudulent especially over longer periods of time/when more than one institute is involved.

I've spent time in the Occupy movement with those directly fighting foreclosure (Southern California's Occupy Fights Foreclosures). Long story short, the banks (including Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac) =do not care whatsoever= who you are or what you have done in your life or what are your circumstances, be they extreme disability and even extreme old age plus disability. This is the robber-baron era once again. It's only about collecting properties and profiting from doing so in several ways. They often trick people into setting themselves up for foreclosure by saying they'll offer modifications etc. if you stop paying your mortgage temporarily. Then they sell your home and never ever return your calls or acknowledge receipt of any paperwork sent. Consider them as true predators and that their goal is to steal and things will become clear, including the required response. Do not waste a minute expecting the bank to do what you'd imagine they should, or that they will if you call and wait enough times.

Get the media in, in droves. Call everyone, from local to national to radio to internet radio and even include the "black sheep" news agencies which are from "enemy" countries, but who in my direct experience will truthfully present the given story because it is embarrassing to the US (PressTV Iran, RT News Russia, even Al Jazeera English). If you are in an area with Spanish-speaking media such as Univision and Telemundo, get them in there. Send a press release detailing who, what, when, where, and why to Huffington Post, Truth-Out, Crooks and Liars, and other internet media. Start blogs and post their story, tagging the posts with searchable keywords. Find the responsible bank's Facebook page(s) and post links to each media item as it is released. Find the responsible bank's Twitter channels (@BofA_News, @BofA_Community, etc.) and post and retweet links to the story and each media item as it is released. Carpet bomb them with negative media attention they know will not go away until they do the right thing. Do not allow the story to fall off of the internet. Keep it kicked and updated. You will get some very negative replies in the comments sections; ignore them or ask them why they are hopeful this person will be put on the street, and point out where it is the bank's fault.

Always focus upon the person/people involved. These are human rights stories, against proven thieves (robosigning is illegal and is still going on unabated and no one will stop them). This is about the damage they'll peronally suffer if the banks have their way. This is about who the victims are, what they've done in their lives, and How Could The Banks Do That To Them.

See if there are any Occupy groups, church groups, housing rights groups, etc. in the area who would be willing to join in. March inside the responsible bank's office and lobby (inviting ALL mentioned media). For those who would gladly risk arrest, camp in the yard of the targeted home. Set up enormous signs. Have a media table with your press release, foreclosure facts, tactics, etc. Call a block meeting and tell everyone what is going on and what you intend to do about it. (Be sure to offer food and drinks; food is unity.)

Basically, shame the bank with enormous, relentless, negative exposure. Clearly point out their fraudulent actions. And most importantly, have someone trustworthy and knowledgeable examine all paperwork involving the foreclosure(s). If it has been more than a year, sometimes things expire and foreclosure becomes moot. Look for dates and time limits and any hint of fraud, because they are outright thieves, using robosigning as quickly as they can to turn over as many properties as possible. They get sloppy and you can win back a home in this manner. This in fact is your most powerful weapon. Beware of fraudulent companies which offer to help beat foreclosure; they're often just as shady as the banks or worse. I've heard of people spending tens of thousands of dollars and getting nothing in return. One of them even shut down when directly challenged by Occupy (likely to simply resurface with a new name and address).

I note one group in Missouri who've just gathered to directly fight a foreclosure:

As the article points out, the sheriffs were surprised, but in my experience, they take orders from the bank and have been putting incredible numbers of Americans on the street regardless of circumstance, so "they'll be back" and always are unless you can get the bank to crack. Occupy Minnesota have been given serious charges when arrested for physically blocking homes for days on end, so the physical is for media attention and to set the hard intent that This Is A Fight And They Will Lose.

A friend and his family are currently battling foreclosure in the Valley part of Los Angeles; they have barricaded themselves in, and police presence appears to be increasing after 27 days of saying NO! to the notice to vacate. Here is their story with some good information:

22. Thank you for doing this, OneGrassRoot.

23. It aches to see how much they've aged in just two years

Stress alone is a killer.

Wells Fargo just lied like a motherfucker in that statement. WF has "lost" paperwork, made them start over, changed agents, denied them access, refused to return phone calls, all of this over and over and over again.

24. And thanks Kate (I don't know your DU handle if you're here)

for calling in right away and delivering a clear message. It's a pity Cindi got so little time, almost an afterthought. There's so much more to the story than got aired. Still, we're grateful for what air-time there was.

49. Nine views? No "Likes". Srsly?

It may be harder to get noticed over there than I thought.

Who Twitters? Can anyone shoot that toward TYT, Granholm, or Spitzer? This is totally down Spitzer's alley -- he was going after the banksters before The Fall. (I think it's totally the reason for The Fall, but hey...)